Woven article of manufacture having relatively stiff weft and method of making same



Aug. 6, 1963 J. FELIX ETAL 3,100,004

WOVEN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE HAVING RELATIVELY STIFF WEFT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Dec. 18, 1961 INVENTORS: Joseph Felix By Hugo Dov is Maxwell E .Sporrow ATTORNEY- United States Patent 3,100,004 WOVEN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE HAVING RELATIVELY STIFF WEFT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Joseph Felix, New York, and Hugo Davis, Westbury, N.Y., assignors to Woven Arts Corp, New York, N.Y. Filed Dec. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 159,920 2 Claims. (Cl. 139-420) This invention relates to woven articles odE manufacture in general and to the method of making same, and in particular to woven material consisting [of warp strands and of relatively stiff elongated weft elements or members, which material presents new, unusual and surprising effects and which can be cut and fabricated into a great variety of articles, preferably of decorative nature.

The invention consists of the novel parts and of the method of making same. Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practicing the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

It is the primary object of this invention to present a woven material consisting of simple elements, yet providing tor an article of uncbvious novelty.

Another object of the present invention is to present a Woven article of manufacture wherein the warp comprises a plurality of spaced relatively untwisted strands, each or said strands being composed of a plurality ct monofilament fibers or single filaments substantially fiat toned into ribbon-like or band cEo-rm, and wherein the Weft comprises elongated relatively stiff members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a woven article having straight, relatively untwisted stranded warp components and relatively stilt weft material.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new, useful article of an attractive appearance which can easily and economically be manufactured.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a woven fabric wherein the warp comprises a plurality of spaced strands, each of the strands being composed of a plurality of monofilament fibers or single filaments spread substantially side by side producing a ribbon-like warp member, and wherein the weft comprises elongated members.

Furthermore, it i an object of the invention to pro vide for a simple method of making said new article of manufacture.

Various further and more specific purposes, features and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification and illustrates merely by way of example one embodiment of the article of the invention.

In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures in the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top view of one of the strands shown in FIG. 2;

3,10930 0 4 Patented Aug. 6, 1963 FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of woven article according to the invention; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic views of portions of a weaving machine for producing the woven article seen in FIG. 2.

The woven article is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Strands each of which is composed of .a plurality of single synthetic filaments or monofilament textile fibers, such as nylon, rayon or the like, comprise the warp threads 10 into which relatively stiff weft strips, slats 31 or the like hawng relatively hard surfaces are beaten by the lay 12 so that said warp strands 10 are flattened or spread out into bands 10 which form in conjunction with said strips or slats 31 a woven article showing a regular, closed pattern 32. As shown in FIG. 2, this pattern may consist of a checkerboard like arrangement 32 whereby the spread-out width 10" of the strands approximately equals the width of the slats 31 which constitute the weft. In this example, two strands 10- may be used side by side in order to obtain said width 10", but it is understood that any number of strands can be used for varying said final width 10". This can be accomplished as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein the warp strands 10 are guided from their spools 30 over warp bar 36 through conventional heddles which are suspended (from conventional movable harnesses (not shown in the drawing) and through a reed 20. This reed 20 is preferably composed of slotted reed plates '14 which are lined up on rods .16, 16' and 16". Spacers '18 of variable length between said reed plates 14 provide for distances between said reed plates 14 for admitting at least one warp strand 10 to pass through. Nuts 25, 25, 25" on the threaded ends of said rods 16, 16 and 16" are arranged for tightening the complete reed 20 into one unit to be fastened on the lay 12 and 25".

When the warp strands 10 are shedded in the conventional manner, the stiff weft element 31 is inserted through the openings 15 of said reed plates 14 and is subsequently beaten into the warp whereby the filaments of said strands are evenly spread out :by the advancing front edge 3-3 of said weft, thus forming said bands 10', :10" which constitnte the formation of said pattern 32 of said woven article of manufacture. Obviously, the spacing of said reed plates is equally important and constructive tor forming the precise width of the spread-out band of said filaments as the spreading effect of the front edge ocf said weit.

It is understood that many varieties lOf .woven patterns may be made by varying the spacing between and/or width of the untwisted warp members, as well as their colors.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a certain particular example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

We claim:

1. Method of making woven material by using relatively stifif longitudinal members having substantially hard surfaces as weft and strands composed of flexible, relatively untwisted filaments as warps, which comprises forming a warp shed of said strands in a weaving machine, feedingsaid members into said shed successively and contacting said surfaces of said members with said warp whereby said filaments of each strand are spread substantially parallel in close relation on said members, and then advancing the said members forwardly whereby said members are brought closer together while said filiaments remain in said close relation.

2. N ew article of manufacture comprising tightly woven 1113111611811 having relatively stiff longitudinal slat members having substantially hard surfiaces as weft, and strands composed of flexible, relatively untwisted filaments as warp, the filaments of each of said strands being spread on said surfiacesin substantially-parallel flat condition and maintained in said condition by virtue of said surfaces,

saidstrands being-in sideaby-side engagement continuously longitudinally oci saidslat members and maintaining said slant members in substantially close relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Houzg-h Oct. 1 8, 1927 Boehm June 23, 1931 Ladon Dec. 11, 1934 Sarran et a1. Jan. 11, 1944 Foster Dec. 2, 195 2 Hendley Oct. 30, 1956 Shaw May 6, 1958 Manning et May 19, 1959 Blake Sept. 27, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1860 GreatBritain of 19:13

, Great Britain Mar. 4,1920 

2. NEW ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE COMPRISING TIGHTLY WOVEN MATERIAL HAVING RELATIVELY STIFF LONGITUDINAL SLAT MEMBERS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY HARD SURFACES AS WEFT, AND STRANDS COMPOSED OF FLEXIBLE, RELATIVELY UNTWISTED FILAMENTS AS WARP, THE FILAMENTS OF EACH OF SAID STRANDS BEING SPREAD ON SAID SURFACES IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FLAT CONDITION AND MAINTAINED IN SAID CONDITION BY VIRTUE OF SAID SURFACES, ; SAID STRANDS BEING IN SIDE-BY-SIDE ENGAGEMENT CONTINUOUSLY LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID SLAT MEMBERS AND MAINTAINING SAID SLAT MEMBERS IN SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP. 